Whether it be in the context of box office cinema, small scale television or even animated roles, actors are replaced all the time for myriad reasons. Directorial changes, availability (or lack thereof) and untimely deaths often crop up as some of the most common obstacles standing in the way of consistency though sometimes, it seems, professionals are unceremoniously replaced without even the slightest courtesy.
That appears to have been the case with TC Carson, at least, who has revealed in a recent interview with YouTuber djvlad why he was unable to reprise the role of Kratos in Sony Santa Monica’s God of War soft reboot. While we’d highly recommend watching the series for yourself (link below) Carson, a well-known singer and voice actor, recalls the reason for his not being asked to return as a relatively straightforward one.
You see, unlike the original trilogy, for which separate individuals were used for voice and motion capture performances, it was decided at an early stage in development by director Cory Barlog that both roles would be handled by one person.
Christopher Judge would ultimately be chosen to replace Carson as well as the original motion capture artist for Kratos’ long-awaited return, an outcome which, according to Carson, wasn’t handled particularly well by Sony. The platform holder never reached out to notify him of the change, he says, a seeming oversight that many would consider unprofessional if not overtly rude and dismissive.
Sadly, this apparent lack of communication and respect for a voice artist isn’t an isolated experience. David Hayter – the original voice of Solid Snake – was famously quite outspoken about being replaced by Keifer Sutherland and his mistreatment at the hands of Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima.
As for God of War, a sequel to 2018’s installment, Ragnarök, is scheduled for release this year, exclusively for PlayStation 5. Check out the initial teaser trailer over here.